1. A Bitter Harvest Hosea 8:7

2. Sowing Your Wild Oats The reckless living of a young person is often described as “sowing your wild oats” Many in society excuse this behavior as natural and expected – “boys will be boys” Some would even encourage this behavior in order to be better equipped for life (Rom. 16:19; 1 Cor. 14:20) Sowing your wild oats will bring forth a bitter harvest (Prov. 22:8)!

3. A Bitter Harvest One who sows his wild oats will carry the haunting, scarring memory of those actions throughout his life (Psa. 51:3; Mt. 27:3-5; Lk. 22:62; 1 Tim. 1:13) One who sows his wild oats may cause others to stumble after his own bad example and influence (Mt. 18:6) One who sows his wild oats often reaps unintended consequences; he gets more than he wants (Lk. 15:11-16)

4. A Bitter Harvest One who sows his wild oats wastes his time and deprives God and Jesus of precious years of service (1 Cor. 15:9-10) One who sows his wild oats forfeits the great blessings of the Christian life (Ac. 24:25; 26:28; Eph. 1:3; Phil. 4:4-7; 1 Tim. 4:8; 1 Pet. 3:10) One who sows his wild oats may never obey the gospel or be restored (Eccl. 12:1; Heb. 3:12; 6:6) … death may interrupt his sowing (Lk. 12:20; 16:22-23; Heb. 9:27; Jas. 4:14)

5. A Bitter Harvest Nothing beneficial comes from sowing wild oats There is the haunting memory, the bad influence, the unintended consequences, the wasted time, the forfeited blessings, the possibility of never obeying, and the prospect of death

6. Bitter Harvest or Better Harvest? Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap. For he that sows unto his own flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that sows unto the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap eternal life” Galatians 6:7-8